Can a complete beginner do this?
Yes. Your first lesson assumes no previous hang gliding experience. We begin on the ground, use a simulator, then progress up a shallow training hill as your control improves.
Hang gliding lessons at Ed Levin Park · Milpitas
Trade a screen for a wing.
You do not need experience, equipment, or an entire weekend. Start with a half-day lesson right here in the South Bay and learn what real solo flight feels like.
18+ · Beginner friendly · Equipment provided · Lessons 8 am–noon
The questions people ask first
What you actually want to know before you book.
How far away is it?
Training is at Ed Levin County Park in Milpitas — inside the South Bay and close to Silicon Valley rather than requiring a full-day trip out of the Bay Area.
How much time does it take?
A typical lesson starts at 8 am and finishes around noon. You can try something extraordinary and still have most of your day left.
Is this actually safe?
Hang gliding has real risk. Good instruction is about managing that risk deliberately. Students begin low, learn control before adding altitude, and advance only as skills become consistent.
Do I need to buy equipment?
No. Training gliders, harnesses and helmets are provided for your lesson. Buying your own equipment is something to consider later only if you decide to continue.
Can I bring coworkers?
Absolutely. Two-, three- and four-person lesson options let you train together. It makes a very different kind of team outing — everyone learns and everyone gets their own turn flying.
Can I buy this as a gift?
Yes. Any lesson or package can be purchased as a gift certificate. Gift certificates can be redeemed any time and do not expire.
See gift certificate options →
Why Ed Levin works so well for learning
A training site that grows with you.
Ed Levin gives students a natural progression that is hard to duplicate: begin with flights from roughly 50 feet, then move through higher launches as your skills develop, eventually reaching launches around 1,750 feet above the valley.
The point is not to get high as quickly as possible. The point is to earn each step by demonstrating stronger launches, better control, more consistent landings and better judgment.
Why We Train at Ed Levin
Your first morning
No experience required. We build it one step at a time.
Learn the controls
Set up the glider, get into your harness and learn basic pitch and roll control on the simulator.
Run with the glider
Practice carrying, balancing and launching the wing while staying close to the ground.
Fly the bunny hill
When the fundamentals come together, most first-day students get at least one short flight down the training hill.
Bring the team
View Group Lessons
Better than another happy hour.
Book a two-, three- or four-person lesson and share the morning with coworkers or friends. Each student receives solo instruction and flies individually — this is not tandem flying.
Close by. Half a day. Completely different.
You can be a beginner at 8 am and a hang glider pilot in training by lunch.
Choose a lesson, look at the training calendar, or give someone a flight experience they probably do not already own.